CUSMA Implementation Date Fixed

Summary#

This order (registration SI/2020-46) amends Order in Council P.C. 2020-215 to set July 1, 2020 as the date the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act comes into force. In practice, it fixes the calendar date when the parts of the law needed to implement CUSMA begin to apply.

What it does#

• Replaces the phrase describing the Act’s start as “the date of entry into force of the Agreement…” with the specific date July 1, 2020.
• Explains why that date was chosen: Canada and Mexico sent their completion notifications on April 2, 2020 and April 3, 2020 respectively, and the United States sent its notification on April 24, 2020, which under the agreement’s rules made the first day of the third month after the last notification — July 1, 2020 — the effective date.
• Provides a clear calendar date so governments, businesses, and others know when provisions of the Act start to apply.

Who's affected#

• Businesses and exporters that trade under the rules of CUSMA (Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement).
• Federal, provincial and territorial governments and their officials who administer trade rules.
• Specific sectors mentioned during consultations, such as the dairy, poultry and egg industries, which raised concerns about transition support.
• For most Canadians, this is mainly an administrative clarification; the groups above are the most likely to notice changes in practice or timing.

Why it matters#

• A fixed start date removes uncertainty about when the implementation rules take effect, so businesses and governments can plan compliance, tariffs, and paperwork from July 1, 2020.
• It completes a routine step in putting the new North American trade agreement into operation.